The European Union reaffirms the positive impact of the agricultural agreement with Morocco

In its report for the year 2023, the European Union once again confirmed the positive socio-economic impact of the agricultural agreement concluded with Morocco, as well as the full benefit of the inhabitants of the southern regions of the Kingdom of provisions of this agreement.

The publication of this annual report, by the services of the European Commission and the European External Action Service, comes the day after the decision of the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union against the “Polisario”, depriving it of any representativeness, thus confirming the importance of the agricultural agreement concluded between Rabat and Brussels.

As in previous years, the report continues, within the framework of the implementation of the agreement in the form of exchanges of letters, to highlight, with a positive tone, the multiple beneficial aspects offered by this agreement to residents southern regions of the Kingdom.

The report also reflects the quality of the partnership between Morocco and the European Union, while testifying to the satisfactory implementation of the agricultural agreement, in particular thanks to the mechanisms for dialogue and exchange of information between the two parties. He also dismantles, for the fifth consecutive time, the attempts at denigration fueled by Algeria and the separatists, aimed at calling into question the legitimacy of the agreements concluded between Morocco and the European Union.

The document, based on numerical data, confirms the positive impact of this agreement on the socio-economic development of the Moroccan Saharan regions, in terms of economic growth, agricultural and fishery production and exports, as well as job creation. and investments.

Thus, in 2022, 203,000 tonnes of products from the southern regions of the Kingdom were exported to the European Union, compared to around 100,000 tonnes before the application of the agreement. The value of exports from southern regions to the European Union increased to 590 million euros (6.410 billion dirhams).

The impact on employment is also evident, with an increase in the number of positions compared to 2021: in 2022, estimates indicate that the agreement has enabled the creation of more than 49,000 direct jobs in the southern regions ( + 7,000 compared to 2021), or a little more than 18% of the active population in the region.

The report also highlights significant infrastructure projects currently under construction, including in the areas of seawater desalination and renewable energy, as well as the impact of the investment measures taken, improving working conditions, socio-economic integration, support for young people or infrastructure development.

Overall, the report, which extends over thirty pages, highlights the significant progress made by Morocco in the field of socio-economic development of the southern regions, within the framework of the “2016-2021 Development Plan », launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, through the implementation of socio-economic projects and various public policies in these regions.

The report, by its tone and the detailed data it provides, testifies to the satisfactory implementation of the agreement and confirms the continued development of trade between the two parties, thanks to the mechanism of customs tariffs benefiting Moroccan products. intended for export to the European Union and coming from the twelve Moroccan regions.

Without neglecting any aspect, the report highlights Morocco's significant achievements in the field of human rights protection at the national level, as well as its leadership role at the multilateral level, highlighting its election to the presidency of the Human Rights Council.

It underlines the quality of the dialogue between Morocco and the European Union within the framework of the dialogue structures of the partnership agreement, as well as the important role played by the regional human rights committees of Dakhla and El -Aaiun, reaffirmed in the recent decision of the United Nations Security Council.

The European Union services were able to exchange views with various economic actors and representatives of civil society, including non-governmental organizations active in the field of human rights in these regions, who highlighted the fundamental importance of the agreement, its satisfactory implementation and its beneficial impact on the socio-economic development of the Moroccan Saharan regions.

Regarding the national question, the report supports the urgent request of the Security Council to register the population detained in Tindouf in Algeria, as well as the importance of taking all necessary measures to achieve this objective. He also mentions the European Union's constant support for the personal representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura, and for the UN process, expressing its desire to contribute to strengthening regional cooperation.

Through this report, which seems ignored by Algeria, the European Union demonstrates its commitment to guaranteeing the continuity of commercial relations with Morocco, once again embodying the commitment of European institutions in favor of stability and development of the global, strategic and long-term economic partnership with Morocco.

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